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Episode 78 - Orest Meleschuk

Curling Legends Podcast

Release Date: 04/08/2022

Episode 98 - Bob Nichols show art Episode 98 - Bob Nichols

Curling Legends Podcast

Bob Nichols was on a mission. His goals were to become an accountant and a curling world champion. Bob captured his first Air Canada Silver Broom in 1974, playing third for Bud Somerville. It was the inagural season for the team from Wisconsin, which included Bill Strum and Tom Locken at front end. His second world championship came in 1978 as a skip, with Bill and Tom moving up positions and Bob Cristman joining at lead. Bob shares memories of Bud, the Superior Curling Club, and many stories from a golden era for USA curling.

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Episode 97 - Beau Welling show art Episode 97 - Beau Welling

Curling Legends Podcast

Beau Welling followed a peculiar path. From studying physics to designing golf courses and eventually becoming the President of World Curling. Beau shares his origin story and how the cancellation of a European business trip led him on a quest to explore curling in Bemidji, Minnesota. Beau offers perspectives on how technology is impacting golf and curling and examines the challenges of self-officiating, suggesting potential approaches for curling to improve while maintaining honour and integrity, the bedrock of both sports' Scottish roots.

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Episode 96 - Ken Horton, Part 2 show art Episode 96 - Ken Horton, Part 2

Curling Legends Podcast

In Part 2 of my conversation with Ken Horton we begin after the 1977 men's world championship, progressing to the 1983 worlds and the controversy surrounding Swedish corn brooms. Ken shares an assortment of stories including a Paul Gowsell tale, tin foil at the 1989 worlds and a trouser mishap that forced umpire Chuck Hay to rule on the use of denim at a world championship. We wrap with an explanation of the Scottish Curling Trust and its efforts to promote participation and preserve the history of curling.

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Episode 95 - Ken Horton, Part 1 show art Episode 95 - Ken Horton, Part 1

Curling Legends Podcast

Ken Horton was obsessed about curling. He honed his skills at the Crossmyloof Ice Rink in Glasgow, eventually teaming with skip Robert Kelly and the front end of Willie Jamieson and Keith Douglas to win the Scottish Junior Mens title in 1976. They were the home team at the Uniroyal Junior Men's Championship in Aviemore, losing in the semifinal to the eventual winner, Canada's Paul Goswell. The following season, Robert aged out and the three schoolmates moved up a position, adding Richard Harding at lead. They fell short at the juniors but shocked everyone by winning the men's championship and...

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Episode 94 - Andrea Schoepp show art Episode 94 - Andrea Schoepp

Curling Legends Podcast

Andrea Schoepp could focus on the game and nothing else. Her skills developed from curling outdoors with her family in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. At the age of fifteen, Andrea skipped her team, including her mother Elinore at third and Monika Wagner at lead, to a bronze medal at the European Championship. Her and Monika would go on to reach the world championship final four times, winning in 1988 and 2010. Andrea explains her ambiguous feelings on the Olympics, despite winning a gold medal when curling was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Winter Games in France. Andrea shares stories from her...

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Episode 93 - Toby McDonald show art Episode 93 - Toby McDonald

Curling Legends Podcast

Toby McDonald always chose to wake up with a smile. From his beginnings at the St. John's Curling Club, Toby had a passion for the sport and its evolution in Newfoundland and Labrador. His crowning acheivement was winning the Brier in 1976 with skip Jack MacDuff and the front end of Doug Hudson and Ken Templeton. Their victory was the first for Newfoundland, which joined Canada in 1949 and the Brier in 1951. It would be another 41 years before Brad Gushue captured another title for the province. Toby shares memories from his early days to coaching at the 2022 Brier and everything in between....

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Special Episode - Don Finkbeiner show art Special Episode - Don Finkbeiner

Curling Legends Podcast

Don Finkbeiner speaks at the banquet celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Manitoba Men's Provincial Curling Championship. Resby Coutts provides the introduction and later shares a story of Mark Olson's grandfather in-law's dog to close out the evening.

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Episode 92 - Bryan Wood show art Episode 92 - Bryan Wood

Curling Legends Podcast

Bryan Wood led the seventies. Woody learned to curl on a two sheet natural ice club in the small community of Justice, Manitoba. His legacy began when he was recruited by Don Duguid at a urinal in the Granite Curling Club. He went on to become the first player to win five purple hearts in Manitoba, winning the Brier and Worlds with Duguid in 1970, '71 and his final Brier with Barry Fry in 1979. Bryan shares stories from his legendary curling exploits, including getting lost after the first Brier victory celebration.

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Episode 91 - Ron Braunstein show art Episode 91 - Ron Braunstein

Curling Legends Podcast

Ron Braunstein missed the Scotch Cup. Committed to his exams, Gordon McTavish went in Ron's place and Canada lost its first world championship in men's curling in 1965. Back in 1958, Gord had helped Ron and brother Terry join the men's league at the Granite Curling Club, becoming the first Jewish members and, joined by Ray Turnbull and Jack Van Hellemond at front end, the youngest team to participate in the Brier. Ron shares stories from his early days to his Brier success, all while painting a picture of Winnipeg curling during the post-war boom of the fifties and sixties.

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Episode 90 - George Fink show art Episode 90 - George Fink

Curling Legends Podcast

George Fink is unflappable. Raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, he began curling with his family on a two sheet club with natural ice. George won the Brier and World Championship in 1966 as third for Ron Northcott. The team, which included Bernie Sparkes and Fred Storey at front end, started as an entry into the Edmonton carspiel. George explains how the team came together and touches on his many other accomplishments, including winning five carspiels over his playing career.

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More Episodes
Orest Meleschuk could accept when an opponent threw a good stone. But he was less tolerant when chaff from a corn broom turned a terrible miss into a made shot. In 1972 the luck of the chaff fell his way and together with third Dave Romano, second John Hanesiak and lead Pat Hailley, they won the 1972 Manitoba Tankard, Macdonald Brier and Air Canada Silver Broom (world championship). Orest reminisces on that magic season and recalls the famous "Labonte Boot." He shares thoughts on the 1989 Brier and a controversial burnt stone against BC's Rick Folk that may have cost his team (John Usackis, John Hyrich and Sean Meleshcuk) a trip to the playoffs. Plenty of tales from across the decades including his version of "Orest meets Ernie Richardson" along with thoughts on the modern era and why Orest believes curling is in trouble.